S rating, codename Prophet

Yang Ming: "..."

"Fang, do you realize how dangerous what you're saying is?"

"One hundred Spirit Coins."

"You!" Yang Ming grew agitated, his expression turning hostile. "Fang Xiu, you haven't even joined the Investigation Bureau yet. Believe it or not, one word from me could..."

"Two hundred."

"Fuck! That's enough! I only make ten Spirit Coins a month, and you want twenty months of my pay? Go ahead and tell him, then. I'd rather Bai beat me to death than lose twenty months' pay. That'd be worse than killing me."

"Fine."

Fang Xiu got straight up and opened the lounge door, then took a deep breath and shouted, "Yang..."

"Hey, hey... don't, don't... I was kidding, bro! Just kidding!" Yang Ming went pale with fright. He hurriedly dragged Fang Xiu back inside and shut the lounge door.

With a shameless grin plastered across his face, he said, "Bro, Xiu, can't we talk this over? How about we stick to the original price? One hundred Spirit Coins..."

Fang Xiu took another deep breath. "Yang Ming gave..."

"Aah... two hundred! I'll give you two hundred!"

In the end, Yang Ming painfully parted with two hundred Spirit Coins from his private stash and gave them to Fang Xiu as hush money.

After paying up, Yang Ming was utterly crushed. Just like when he had learned of Bai Qi's death at the last meeting, he crouched in a corner smoking, looking desolate and forlorn.

7:50 p.m.

In the Investigation Bureau's small conference room, Fang Xiu, Wang Dehai, and Shen Lingxue sat beside the conference table chatting, while a miserable-looking Yang Ming crouched in the corner.

"Captain Yang, could you put out your cigarette?" Shen Lingxue asked, covering her delicate nose with her small hand.

Yang Ming looked up from the corner. "Lingxue, could you lend me some Spirit Coins?"

Shen Lingxue grew even angrier. "I'm a veteran first-tier Spirit Tamer, and I only make five Spirit Coins a month. You're a captain making twenty a month, and you're asking me for money? No."

Upon hearing that a captain earned twenty Spirit Coins a month, Fang Xiu realized he had been too hasty. He would have to extort Yang Ming again next time.

"Enough. Stop arguing. The call's coming in," Wang Dehai suddenly interrupted.

Then he picked up his phone and switched on the speaker.

"Director Wang, today's winning numbers are 1, 12, 17, 18, 26, 27, 05."

As the numbers were read out one by one, everyone's gaze converged on the slip of paper on the table.

The numbers written on it were 1, 12, 17, 18, 26, 27, 05.

An exact match!

They had won!

The room instantly grew so quiet that a pin drop could have been heard.

Even Yang Ming, who had been smoking in the corner, had come over at some point.

A moment later, Wang Dehai hung up.

Yang Ming immediately rushed over in excitement and slung an arm around Fang Xiu's shoulders. "Xiu, from today on, you're my real brother. Predict the next draw's numbers for me!"

Shen Lingxue took out her phone and began looking up the numbers for the current draw.

Fang Xiu knocked Yang Ming's hand away. He hated people who had no sense of boundaries.

"Enough, Yang Ming. Stop fooling around. Fang Xiu's predictive ability increases the risk of his Spirituality going out of control. It must never be used for trivial matters like this again!" Wang Dehai snapped.

Yang Ming could only withdraw his hand sheepishly, still muttering, "How is this trivial? I'd rather my Spirituality went out of control than be poor."

After scolding Yang Ming, Wang Dehai completely changed his expression as he turned to Fang Xiu, smiling warmly. "Fang Xiu, your Future Prediction ability has now essentially been verified. I formally invite you to join the Investigation Bureau, and every benefit you requested earlier will be provided."

Fang Xiu nodded, fairly satisfied with the result. Killing himself once had not been in vain.

He believed that with the Investigation Bureau's resources supporting him, he would be another step closer to revenge.

"Fang Xiu's ability must remain strictly confidential. From now on, we'll tell outsiders that his ability is perception. Shen, since you're one of the people who knows the truth, and Fang Xiu is new to the Investigation Bureau, you'll be responsible for showing him the ropes. Take him to complete his onboarding now."

Although Shen Lingxue was somewhat reluctant, she did not disobey Wang Dehai's order.

"Let's go." With that, she took Fang Xiu to complete his onboarding.

After the two left, Wang Dehai suddenly asked, "Yang Ming, what do you think of Fang Xiu?"

Yang Ming slowly stubbed out his cigarette and said seriously, "He's not simple. He's too calm. He's only around twenty, and he's only been through one supernatural incident, yet he feels like a bottomless black hole, as though nothing in this world could stir his emotions anymore.

"Besides, I sensed a peculiar quality about him."

"What peculiar quality?" Wang Dehai asked with a frown.

"Indifference to life and death," Yang Ming said, looking slightly grave.

"Indifference to life and death?"

"That's right. I've seen something similar in certain mercenaries and assassins. It's close, but not quite the same as what Fang Xiu has."

"How is it different?"

Yang Ming shook his head. "I can't put it into words. I just get the feeling that Fang Xiu has experienced death countless times. If assassins aren't afraid of death, then Fang Xiu feels like someone who's used to it."

"Used to death?" Wang Dehai was instantly startled. "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Unexpectedly, Yang Ming laughed and reverted to his usual flippant manner. "I'm not a woman. How could my intuition be that accurate? Anyway, Director Wang, how are you planning to tell the higher-ups about Fang Xiu?"

Wang Dehai considered it for a moment. "Fang Xiu's information will be classified as top secret. I'll report him to the Investigation Bureau Headquarters and recommend his inclusion in the Global Spirit Tamer Talent Archive, with an S rating and the codename Prophet."

"Oh?" Yang Ming looked somewhat surprised. "You'd better think this through. Whatever Fang Xiu's personality is like, his ability is extremely valuable. If you report someone that talented, the higher-ups might take him away.

"Also, how come he gets into the Global Spirit Tamer Talent Archive when even I haven't? And with an S rating? This is rigged!"

Wang Dehai selectively ignored the latter half of Yang Ming's remarks.

"Precisely because Fang Xiu's ability has such immense strategic value, he should have a chance to develop on a bigger stage. Supernatural incidents are happening frequently across the world now, and I keep feeling that a major upheaval is coming. When that happens, someone with Fang Xiu's ability will certainly be of greater value at headquarters than here in Green Vine City."

"You're so noble. So wonderful," Yang Ming grumbled.

Still, he thought it would be a good thing if Fang Xiu really were transferred to headquarters. At least he would no longer have to endure his threats and extortion on a regular basis.

"There's one more thing. Someone else survived alongside Fang Xiu, a man named Zhao Hao. According to their files, they're good friends, and now they've been through life and death together. I think we could bring Zhao Hao into the Investigation Bureau as well."

Yang Ming's expression turned slightly odd. "I heard That Kid Zhao Hao's ability is a sex ability. Do we really want someone like that?"

Wang Dehai merely smiled. "You don't understand. It's called a bond. Whether Fang Xiu stays in Green Vine City or goes to headquarters, having someone like Zhao Hao in the bureau will help bring Fang Xiu closer to us. You've also noticed how cold Fang Xiu is. He joined the Investigation Bureau for Spirit Incense. What if another organization offers him more one day? Or suppose Fang Xiu goes to headquarters, but the Green Vine City Investigation Bureau needs his ability? We could send Zhao Hao to persuade him.

"So bringing Zhao Hao in has every advantage and no drawbacks. All it costs is one more salary. What do you think?"

"Have you been watching Mountain Bandit King again lately?" Yang Ming asked with an odd look.

Wang Dehai: "..."

His aging face flushed. He coughed twice and hurriedly changed the subject.

"By the way, how is the investigation into the Shadow Ghost going? Was what happened to Bai Qi really an accident, or did someone deliberately set him up?"

At the mention of the Shadow Ghost, a rare trace of murderous coldness appeared on Yang Ming's face.

"There's no evidence, but I have a feeling someone may have orchestrated it!"